Facebook isn’t journalism

by Helen Sabin, Corvallis

A lie can circle the Bitterroot Valley before the truth has finished putting on its boots.

That isn’t just an old saying anymore, it’s become our daily reality.

Every day, Facebook fills with sensational claims, half-truths, edited videos, anonymous “inside information,” and outright falsehoods. Within minutes, dozens of people click “Share,” forwarding the post to hundreds more without asking a single question: Is it true?

Too often, the answer is no.

Some have stopped reading news and started consuming opinions disguised as facts. They no longer look for original documents, public records, or reporters who interview multiple sources and verify their information before publishing it. Instead, if a post reinforces what they already believe, they accept it as fact and pass it on. In doing so, ordinary citizens become unwilling participants in spreading misinformation.

The damage goes far beyond politics. False information destroys reputations, fuels unnecessary anger, divides neighbors, undermines trust in government, and leaves voters making decisions based on fiction instead of fact. A free society cannot make wise decisions when its citizens are being misled.

There is a better way.

Support journalists who earn your trust instead of demanding it. Read reporters who verify facts, quote sources accurately, correct errors when they occur, and separate reporting from opinion. Montana is fortunate to have journalists who still practice those principles. Among them are Tom Lutey and Jordan Hansen of the Montana Free Press, John Dowd of the Bitterroot Star, and Keila Szpaller of the Daily Montanan. 

Whether their reporting confirms your beliefs or challenges them, it is grounded in documented facts, not Facebook rumors. The bonus to these writers and papers? They’re free (for now)!

The next time you see a post that makes your blood boil, resist the urge to hit “Share.” Ask yourself:

Who is the original source?

Is there evidence?

Has a credible news organization reported the same information?

Are public documents available to support the claim?

If the answer is no, stop the rumor with YOU! 

Freedom of speech gives every American the right to express an opinion. It does not give opinions the status of facts.

The future of the Bitterroot Valley depends not only on how we vote, but on what we choose to believe. The truth still matters, but only if we’re willing to look for it.